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Q82543: SMARTDrive 4.0: Third-Party Disk Partitioning Software

Article: Q82543
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 12-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

SMARTDrive (SMARTDRV.EXE) version 4.0, which comes with Microsoft Windows
operating system version 3.1, is compatible with third-party disk partitioning
and compression software such as Disk Manager, SpeedStor, SuperStor, and
Stacker.

MORE INFORMATION
================

SMARTDrive VERSION 4.0 COMPATIBILITY
------------------------------------

Stacker
-------

SMARTDrive has built-in detection for STAC Electronics' Stacker version 2.0. As a
result, SMARTDrive does not cache a stacked drive and receives the following
message:

  Unable to use a disk cache on the specified drive

SMARTDrive does not detect Stacker versions 1.x, and these "stacked" drives can
be cached. It is NOT recommended to cache a stacked drive.

SMARTDrive may be confused when a drive is swapped with the Stacker SSWAP
command. Microsoft recommends loading SMARTDrive in the AUTOEXEC.BAT after all
Stacker operations (such as SSWAP) have been performed.

SuperStor
---------

SMARTDrive must be loaded after all SuperStor software. SMARTDrive must be
specifically told NOT to cache SuperStor drives unless version 2.04 or later of
the SuperStor driver is being used.

You can specifically disable caching on all SuperStor drives, as follows

  c:\windows\smartdrv.exe d- e-

where drives D and E are SuperStor drives.

SMARTDrive is not compatible with SuperStor's Create Mountable Drive, Mount, and
Dismount commands. Do not use these commands if SMARTDrive is loaded.

Caching a SuperStor-compressed drive with SMARTDrive 4.0 results in read-write
errors from the SuperStor drive if the SuperStor driver is earlier that version
2.04.

SuperStor 1.3 is not compatible with SMARTDrive version 4.0. SuperStor version
2.0 should work with SMARTDrive; however, it is advisable to disable caching for
the SuperStor partitions.

According to SuperStor, using version 2.04 with SMARTDrive 4.0 results in the
correct drives being cached (that is, the uncompressed drive will be cached and
the compressed drive will be not cached).

Note: The information about SuperStor version 2.x has been provided by SuperStor,
and has not been tested or confirmed by Microsoft.

SpeedStor
---------

If SMARTDrive produces errors reading or writing to a Storage Dimensions'
SpeedStor drive, then modify the SSTOR.SYS line in the CONFIG.SYS file:

  DEVICE=C:\SSTOR.SYS /VIRTUAL

SSTOR.SYS must be at least version 6.4 to be used with SMARTDrive. An upgrade to
this version is available from Storage Dimensions.

Disk Manager (DMDRVR.BIN)
-------------------------

DMDRVR.BIN must be the first line in the CONFIG.SYS file (before HIMEM.SYS or
other memory managers). If DMDRVR.SYS is located in the CONFIG.SYS file instead
of DMDRVR.BIN, then it will be necessary to upgrade. The upgrade is available
from either ONTRACK Computer Systems or on the retail MS-DOS 5.0 Upgrade.

The products included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft;
we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance
or reliability.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 compression stacked 1024 smart drive on track super store stor speed speedstore superstore

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11

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